


The Rose's Forest

by Apalla, NicoleLeeLy



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Mpreg, Multi, Other, slight Jercy - Freeform, starts out as rape but ends up something more
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-22
Updated: 2015-07-13
Packaged: 2018-03-31 16:46:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3985474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apalla/pseuds/Apalla, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicoleLeeLy/pseuds/NicoleLeeLy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy gathered up his sword and his strongest men and marched to the forest without delay. He stumbled through vines, cutting at thick briars, and worked his way to the heart of the forest til he was bloody, panting, and tired. He expected a monster, hulking and terrifying and ready to rip him apart.<br/>He found, instead, a fourteen-year-old boy so beautiful he looked like a rose that had come to life. A human rose.<br/>Vines wound up his arms, flowers sprouted from his hair, and leaves grew from his hips, wrists, and ankles. The boy gave Percy a smile and said, “The vines told me you were coming, Your Highness…”<br/>There is no monster. Only a rose.<br/>Percy’s rose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Quest

**Author's Note:**

> There will be eventual smut, I think. I'm not sure what pair yet though, so ;)  
> Don't hate me if this is bad, I didn't make you read this, I just posted it.

In the Kingdom of Olympus, the land was rich in greens and population of humans was steadily increasing. The people were well-fed, well-groomed, there hadn’t been a war in decades, and the economy was thriving. Everyone was happy. King Poseidon and his wife, Queen Sally, looked over all the citizens, even the plants and animals. They were a just and fair couple, deeply in love since their younger days, and their loved still remained true and strong now. They had two lovely sons: the eldest and heir to the throne, Perseus, and the youngest and extremely playful, Tyson, who had a little “wife” named Ella. They helped alongside their parents to ensure the kingdom’s safety, though Tyson couldn’t do much yet. Percy, however, patrolled the walls of the city, kept an eye on the crime rate, and made it his personal secret pleasure to watch the girls in the kingdom swoon over him and his cousin, Jason Grace.

And then came all the murders. People started to show up in rivers by the walls of the city and on the edges of the woods with bruises around their necks and cuts on their person, as if strangled... Terrors and fears arose like the living dead, spreading like a disease or wildfire. Talk of an evil presence began to spread throughout the kingdom, and people invented many rumors and ideas. Some blamed a curse on the forest, some blamed an evil witch, some blamed a band of thieves hiding in the woods… No matter what people said, though, no one had ever managed to actually see what was taking and killing people.

Concerned, Queen Sally convinced her husband to speak to the Council of Advisors and find a quick solution to the problem. The councilmen--Lord Zeus, Lord Apollo, Lady Artemis, Lady Hera, Lord Ares, Lord Hephaestus, Lord Hermes, Lady Aphrodite, Lady Athena, Lady Demeter, and Lord Dionysus--came to an agreement that the forest must be cut down so the kingdom could continue expanding and reduce the dangers to the people. Although Poseidon’s word could be law if he so ruled against them, he preferred to have their support and advice with him when he made a decision--after all, one of them could easily spark a revolution and overthrow him, and then his head would be on a spike or in a basket.

“Obviously we have no choice! Over a hundred of our people have been found dead this last week!” Zeus frowned at his brother as he harshly slammed his hands on the golden, horse-shaped table. His electric-blue eyes flashed angrily and one could hear thunder in his booming voice.

Poseidon frowned at the black-haired man, trying to remain calm. “Brother...please… If there really is something in the forest that is attacking people, we should find out what or who it is instead of just tearing the whole forest down. Think about it! It isn’t logical!”

“Logical? You think sacrificing our men instead of expanding our kingdom is logical? That’s as if saying horses can fly!” Zeus huffed and looked away before looking back at

Poseidon with something dangerous in his eyes. “And if you forget, you are only King because we lost Hades to that forest.”

“Brother, please…” Said King frowned at the memory. Poseidon was never supposed to have been the ruler, if he was being honest. Originally, the throne was meant to go to their eldest brother, Hades, but the forest had taken him away a long time ago. If he closed his eyes, he could still remember the absence of their oldest brother on that fateful day. Hades had been supposedly kidnapped from his room fourteen years ago by talking vines. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.”

“Dear..” Sally rested her hand on her husband’s arm. “You know...Percy has been waiting for you to request something of him. He’s young and eager, and even though he likes patrolling the city, he wants to go outside and see the world. You could send him and Jason to the forest...maybe with a few other knights?”

Poseidon sighed and brushed his fingers against Sally’s. He glanced at his brother as if waiting for approval, though he knew it wouldn’t matter much. Zeus had never been the kind of father who cared for Jason, other than that he brought pride to the family with his looks, strength, and good deeds.

His younger brother gave a flick of his hand, dismissing the council and getting up to find his blonde son, who was so lovestruck with Aphrodite’s child, he could barely believe that his son could get anything done with that girl around him. “Jason would be happy to follow Perseus to death in the forest. Idiot boy...”

\--Meanwhile…

Percy and Jason were fooling around outside in the castle’s garden. It mostly consisted of Jason tackling Percy into the grass, flower bushes or the small pond in the center. Both of the boys were full-on laughing and chasing each other, covered in dirt, grass, leaves and water. Though, without Jason’s tackling, Percy would be the only clean one there.

“Jason, stop it, dammit!” Percy yelled, running from the blonde with a grin. “I’m going to get yelled at by my mom and _your_ dad!” He could hear his little brother, Tyson, laughing and following after them as quickly as his little six-year-old legs could carry him, and smiled. “At least let Tyson catch up!”

“Fine!” The blonde picked up the tiny, yet chubby, six-year-old and began to chase Percy again. He laughed when Tyson screeched and squealed. He could feel the little boy squirming in his grasp, like a plump baby seal.

“I’m gonna get you!” Tyson shouted, extending his arms in a grabbing motion.

“Don’t you dare drop him, Grace!” Percy shouted over his brother’s giggling.

Jason simply grinned and threw the two of them at Percy, slamming into his cousin and tumbling to the ground.

“ _Ah!_ ” The black-haired boy exclaimed, not only catching the blond, but his little brother as well. He frowned and glared at the blonde man, who just so happened to be on the line of life and death. “ _Jason!_ ”

Jason smiled and placed a hard smooch on his cousin’s lips. Percy froze for a second. He was used to Jason’s usual displays of affection behind closed doors since they were about ten when their bodies started ‘changing for the better’, as Jason put it, but he just kissed him in front of his little brother! _Jason, you idiot, I’m gonna kick your damn, nice-to-touch ass..._

Tyson watched the two, blinking as Percy struggled from under the blonde. The boy laughed and bounced on the two while clapping his hands.

“Are there evil fairies around?” Tyson asked, looking from side to side. He laughed again, then began to pout. The kiss between Jason and Percy had started to get a little weird. He noticed teeth and a tongue, though his older brother still looked like he was trying to get away. “When do I get to kiss Percy..?”

Percy gasped and pushed Jason’s head away, squeezing it slightly like it would pop if he tried hard enough. “You idiot! What are you telling my brother?! What are evil fairies?!” He glared and shoved the blonde off before taking his brother and letting the boy kiss his cheek and give him sloppy little kisses.

Jason grinned and shrugged. “I dunno what you’re talking about.” He laughed to himself and winked at Percy when Tyson wasn’t looking.

“Jason said evil fairies will come and steal my dreams! But, he said if he kisses you, that makes them go away!” His little brother smiled at him innocently.

Percy gave Jason a death glare before getting up and walking away. “Idiot Grace…,” he muttered.

Jason whined and got up, chasing after Percy. “ _Percy_...wait!”

Zeus was waiting by the open halls of the garden. He was frowning at Jason, giving him looks of disapproval. He looked at Percy, Tyson, then back at his own seventeen-year-old child.

“Perseus, your parents would like a word with you.” He continued to frown at his own son. He wasn’t particularly proud of Jason for... _playing_ with Percy, but he couldn’t stop the blonde, so he put up with it. Unlike Jason’s womanizing good looks and heroics to the kingdom, his relationship with Percy was a well-kept secret that had never left the palace in seven and a half years.

Percy nodded and quickly went inside to find his parents, leaving the blonde alone to deal with his dad. He walked down the hall and went into the great chamber where his parents were waiting. He paused for a moment, suddenly regretting coming in immediately after his game of tag with his brother and cousin. He was still covered in mud and leaves. Even worse, so was Tyson, and Sally was sure to give him an earful. It was hard enough for her to get Tyson to take a bath without him climbing out and getting the bathroom all soapy and wet, or if he climbed out and ran down the hall naked, but now he would want nothing more than to run outside again.

“Uncle Zeus said you were looking for me?” He set his messy brother down and the boy ran to his mother and bounced a little to be picked up. He could hear Tyson’s happy calls of, “Up! Up!”

Poseidon nodded and kissed Sally’s cheek before going over and taking Percy to the other room. He sighed and glanced at his son. Percy’s clothes were dirty, covered in mud and grass, and there were some leaves and petals in his hair. Not to mention that his skin looked as if he just crawled out of the ground. “Percy...you know your mother doesn’t like you to track dirt in...and you know how Zeus is...” He frowned a little. In all honesty, he didn’t really care if Jason and Percy got a little dirty, since it was better than getting in trouble or breaking something. And he was fully supportive of Jason and Percy’s...adventures of exploring one another’s bodies beneath their sheets. At least they couldn’t get one another pregnant or catch anything from the other person, since Poseidon was pretty sure the only other person Jason slept with was Piper.

Percy sighed and nodded. “I know...sorry…,” he muttered like a child and glanced down at their feet. “What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Poseidon smiled a little. “I know you’ve been requesting to go outside Atlantis lately, and I think you’ll like this. _But_...this is a job, not a game. You, Jason and a few other men are to go out into the Rose’s Forest and see what is killing all our people. Understand?”

Percy looked back up at his father in disbelief, eyes wide. Although Percy had proved himself a good warrior before, he’d never been allowed outside the walls of Atlantis without his parents and practically an entire army to protect him. He broke into a grin before nodding. “Yeah! Okay. What other men? How many? When do I leave?”

Poseidon laughed a little and nodded. “Tomorrow afternoon. Your mother wants to make a good lunch for you before you leave. Plus, I don’t want Tyson to cry when he sees you’re gone when he gets up.”

Percy nodded and grinned again. “I can take Tyson to the bathroom so Mom doesn't almost have a heart attack trying to clean his hair like last time.”

Before getting an answer, he was already walking out the door to the hall to kiss his mother and grab Tyson. He was excited to finally leave the city to explore outside. Gods know how long ago the last time he went outside the city walls was .

“What did Daddy want?” Tyson asked, kicking his little feet as he squished a leaf against Percy’s cheek.

Percy smiled and glanced at Tyson. “Dad said that I have a quest to defeat the evil fairies so you can dream about sweets and Ella.” He laughed and rubbed his cheek a little to get the leaf off, feeling as if he were practically floating from all the excitement. “Ready for a bath?”

Tyson laughed and nodded happily, squirming as if the water were already below them. And while Percy scrubbed his adorable little brother and tried not to be drowned by soap when Tyson splashed the water higher and higher, he couldn’t keep the wide, excited grin from his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What to you think? :) I hope you like it. If you don't, don't leave a hate. But, I think criticism is the best way to improve!


	2. The Race

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How doth thee like? *I'm not good at old modern english* Sorry. I'm sort of impatient. I just wanna update, update, update! Cause I know the horrors of waiting for a chapter to update, and it sucks. My partner keeps telling me I need to be patient...Ha! Who needs that!? I don't...*sobs*

It was the next morning, and Percy was already packing his stuff. He’d woken up early, practically as the sun arose in the sky, and laid there awake for awhile, holding Tyson. The little boy liked to climb into his bed at night most of the time, whether it was because of nightmares or because he just wanted to sleep in Percy’s bed. Of course he didn’t mind; it was his brother.

Percy got out of the bed to take a bath and wake his little brother up for his own bubble bath, but the little boy didn’t budge. He simply whined and pulled the covers over his head and curled up into a small, fluffy ball.

“Tyson...Please.” The older boy sighed and picked up his brother, blanket and all. “It’s time to get up. We have to clean up the bedroom, make the bed, take a bath--which I know you love--and eat breakfast and lunch with Mom and Dad. You wanna have breakfast with Ella, don’t you?”

Tyson whined once more and just barely poked his head out of the blanket. The little boy’s hair was sticking up in all sorts of directions. His brother’s hair had always been untameable when he woke up. He really needed a bath...but he would probably need one after breakfast too. Whenever his brother ate, he’d magically get food everywhere, in his hair, all over his face, on this clothes, you name it.

“Can Ella really eat with us..?” Tyson asked with a small yawn and a rub of his eye with the blanket. Ella and Tyson had been friends since the two could remember. He would call Ella his wife and Ella would call Tyson her husband. Tyson would always buy little rings for Ella to put on so their “marriage” was “official”.

Percy smiled at his brother’s utter cuteness. He practically saw little clouds of cuteness floating around his brother’s head. He nodded and shifted his brother’s weight.  
“Sure, if you wake up and go get ready for breakfast.” He nuzzled a strand of hair that was sticking straight up.

Tyson giggled and swayed his chubby little body. “Okay!”

The little body squirmed until Percy set him down. He watched the boy run our of his room with a huge grin on his face, calling out for their mother.

 --After breakfast and later after lunch…and another bath...

Lunch with his family was great, but he really wanted to focus on packing everything he needed. Tyson kept flinging his food everywhere, claiming he was feeding the birds. Ella copied him, making an even bigger mess.

He sighed and glanced at his bag. It was only half full, and he had little time before he and the others needed to leave. He had to get more clothes and food, especially since his mother would worry and fuss over him the entirety of his trip if she thought he wasn’t well-prepared. Maybe he’d bring a few pots and pans to cook since he planned on being gone for about a week or two. After all, he didn’t really know when the next time he’d be able to go outside again would come. As he finished packing, there was a knock--more like bang--on the door. He could already tell who it was; Jason, undoubtedly. Who else knocked that excitedly (besides Tyson)?

“Percy!” Jason called, his bag on his back already and Tyson in his arms. The little boy had just gotten out of his morning bath, so he was fresh and clean for his brother to hug. “Tyson is waiting for you...So am I. Which one of us is cuter?”

“Jason, it’s barely past noon,” Percy said, rolling his eyes and ignoring the question completely. He opened the door to see the blonde and the six-year-old boy standing there, both with huge grins on their faces and both practically bouncing where they stood. He couldn’t contain a grin at the sight of his little brother throwing himself at him, arms and chubby body wiggling. “Tyson, careful... I don’t want you to fall again...”

“But I didn’t even hurt myself last time!” The little boy smiled, waving it off as if pain were nothing.

Percy sighed. _That’s because I caught you and became your cushion...and Jason’s. But that didn’t feel as good..._ “Where’s Mom and Dad?” He smiled and took Tyson from Jason, though the blonde pouted in the slightest way. Jason liked children, and he planned to have some of his own with Piper. He especially wanted a little girl to spoil and love and play with and protect. Though, he had a hunch that Jason wouldn’t have a girl anytime soon and he knew if Jason didn’t have a girl on the first try, he’d continue to try and try again.

“They’re waiting outside!” Tyson wiggled in his brother’s strong arms, wrapping his own smaller ones around Percy’s neck. “They have a black horse-pony for you too!”  
“Horse-pony..?”

“Your dad got you a new horse since you never really had your own...bet he can’t beat Tempest.” Jason snickered, already eager to race Percy into the forest and hopefully leave him in the dust. “Oh, Leo, Frank, and the others are also waiting for us too.”

The blonde smiled and took Tyson back as he walked down the hall. He whispered to the little boy as they vanished around the corner, with Tyson giggling in response.

Percy sighed and slung his bag over his shoulder. He smiled to himself at being able to leave this place and explore on his own. He glanced around his room, mentally going over his checklist to see if he had forgotten anything. After finishing, he closed his door and walked to the front of the castle. He didn’t bother going to the horse stables since Jason had told him of his present, and it was probably already waiting for him in the courtyard by the castle’s gates.

Turning the corner into the open yard, Percy noticed a black stallion standing in the middle of the way, the sun shining off of its dark coat. He stared at it. He could tell that the horse was young and that it was built for speed. Its muscles were undoubtedly noticeable and defined, and the horse’s mane looked as if it were just groomed, though not trimmed. It looked so silky and shiny, Percy just wanted to touch the horse already.

“...Dad?” Percy asked, slightly whispering. He didn’t want to risk startling the horse and getting kicked in the face. He’d seen dim-witted stable boys die from things like that, and it wasn’t a pleasant sight.

Poseidon smiled and kissed Sally’s hand before walking over to his eldest son. “Your mother and I thought that you could use your own horse since you’ve been using your friends’. This is Blackjack, Percy. He is a young stallion, friendly, and for some odd reason...he likes bread.”

Percy looked as if he were ready for Elysium. His face was bright as he glanced at his dad before hugging him and running up to his mother to hug her too. He ran towards his horse and held his hand out slowly. “Hey there, big guy.” He stroked the horse’s snout and sighed to himself happily. “This is awesome, Dad,” he said after a minute, glancing back at him and smiling. Blackjack snorted as is saying _Boss, I’m ready_.

Poseidon shrugged and took Sally’s hand back and held onto it, pressing the front of her hand to his lips. “Anything for my family.”  
Sally blushed and smiled, leaning against her husband and rubbing his strong chest affectionately.

“Ready, Jackson?” Jason grinned devilishly as he mounted Tempest, a bigger, blonde horse with trimmed hair. It looked like it was glaring at Blackjack, as if Jason’s competitive side was affecting it as well. “I’ll beat your ass to the forest!”

Poseidon rolled his eyes at the boys and ordered the gates to be opened. Stepping back with his wife, he picked up Tyson and the three of them all waved to the group. _Be safe, Percy… We can’t lose anymore firstborn royals to that forest. Not again._

_Bring it on, Pretty Horse!_ Blackjack neighed and stomped his hoof to provoke the blonde horse.

“In your dreams, Grace!” Percy quickly got on Blackjack and whipped the reins. The black horse was fast! Faster than he thought the horse could be! He could feel the muscles of it flex as its body moved, galloping powerfully toward the tall, dense trees. The wind in his hair felt amazing. He would surely get use to this, racing Jason. He could look around and everything would be a blur. He didn’t even know where Jason was until the man shouted out his name.

“Percy! Be careful! Don’t get too far ahead!” Jason frowned and whipped Tempest’s reigns, the blonde horse speeding up as it tried to get closer to Blackjack.

Percy looked over and realized that the forest was only a mere twenty feet away. Gasping, he pulled Blackjack to a halt, holding him tightly as the horse’s steps stuttered for minute before it steadied itself. Percy panted, swallowing, and tapped his chest to calm his heart as he stared up at the incredibly tall trees. He’d always thought the forest looked beautiful from a distance, but right now, staring it down, a horrible truth dawned on him: this place was as terrifying as the monsters that Tyson claimed were under his bed.

“You okay?” Jason arrived next to him, followed moments later by Frank, Leo, and the other men. “You look freaked out, man…”

“I didn’t know Water Boy could freak out!” Leo laughed and nudged Frank with his elbow, who simply looked at him with a slightly annoyed face.

“Maybe we should wait a few minutes,” Frank offered, a deeply concerned look etched into his features.

If Percy were to be honest, he was kind of freaked out. It seemed that there was some horrible curse on the royal family, for the King’s eldest son to be taken by this forest and never seen again. _This forest took Uncle Hades_ , he reminded himself, trying not to show any of his fear. He barely remembered his uncle, since he was only three when he was taken, but he was still afraid.“Just a little… Never mind. Come on, let’s go.” Swallowing his fear, Percy steeled himself and whipped Blackjack’s reigns lightly, heading inside.

This was his only chance so far to see a piece of the kingdom he was meant to rule, and he intended to take it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still like it? I hope :) Cause otherwise you wouldn't be reading it. Tell me what you think!


	3. The Forest Wakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My partner is unhappy with my impatiences...I'm also kind of nervous for uploading this chapter for reasons.  
> WARNING: Rape and minor character death and blood  
> I'm so nervous! I'm SORRY!!

Nico waited in the heart of the forest, tossing a bloody and bruised body into the river. He frowned and sighed as the body floated down the path to vanish from sight. So far...his goal wasn’t being fulfilled. He was of the age where he needed offspring. Though, all the men that have come by, didn’t hold the seed he could carry. The vines, whenever the man deemed himself infertile, would strangle and beat the man to death, then presume to kidnap and murder others after disposing the bodies.

No young flowers had bloomed, none had even appeared. He was sure that he wasn’t going to be able to have children. The mere thought depressed him. A life with no kids in a empty forest like this? There was company, but the vines didn’t really do much… Especially, the bloodthirsty one. It would always suggest killing the guy before even starting the ritual of skin.

And then, of course, there was always the issue of what would happen to the father, if one were ever to give him children…

Sometimes, after impregnation, the vines would kill the father like they had killed all the other men, since the father had served the only purpose of him being in the forest. The vines had tried to do that to his father, but Nico’s mother had stopped them and told him to escape. His parents had been in love, and his father still sometimes wandered into the forest to see him and tell him about his mother, since all he could remember from her was a warm smile, feeling loved, and her singing voice as she lulled him to sleep each night with it.

In all honesty, Nico wanted a love like that. He wanted the father of his children to _love_ him in general. He didn’t want to feel like he was using or abusing some poor man, and he didn’t want to be feared by that man either. However, he was sure that he would never gain love. The vines were distrustful of humans, even hating them, and didn’t believe they could ever love Nico the way Hades had loved Maria. In their opinion, humans like that were rare, and exceedingly so.

_Nico, there is a group of men in the forest. Are you ready?_ , the vines asked, dangling from trees and sprouting from the ground. The purple flowers holding sleeping spores and aphrodisiacs were starting to bloom and open.

Nico glanced over from the water where a small streak of red was still visible. He sighed and gave a slight frown. Did he not just finish business moments ago? Now there were more men in the forest. He could feel it too. Four..no...six or seven men were entering his forest.

“Yeah, sure.” Nico glanced at the water again before getting out and shaking the water droplets off. He followed after the vines, paying close attention in case one of the men tried to kill him.

\--With the group of knights…

Percy felt a chill run down his spine. Was it just him or was the forest getting...closer? That couldn’t possibly be...the forest wasn’t alive. It couldn’t think, it had no heartbeat, no need to--well, plants _do_ breathe...in their own way… But still! The forest couldn’t think, couldn’t feel!

“Jason…? Do you _feel_ that?” Percy glanced over at his cousin and bit his lip, trying to steel himself. He was a prince, damn it! He refused to shrink away from a few trees and shrubs.

“Feel what?” Jason asked, turning his head to glanced back at Percy. He frowned a little, then glanced out around them, wondering if there was something out there that Percy could see and he couldn’t. Percy was really freaking out. Something must really be wrong if Percy was freaking out. Percy never freaked out. “Why?”

“It feels...alive…” Percy frowned and tightly gripped the reigns, fully aware of his sword at his side now. “I feel like the forest is _moving…_ ” Oddly enough, it also felt like it was pulling on him, calling to him. Maybe that was the only reason he seemed to be the only one who could sense it…

Jason sighed and opened his mouth to speak, though his effort was useless when he heard a scream from one of the extra men. Both quickly whipped their heads around to the origin of the sound and found...nothing. Terrifyingly nothing. A man was missing off his horse with a few leaves falling from the trees above. His screams of help were still heard before an unpleasant choking noise and an oddly wet sound could be heard. A moment later, droplets of blood fell on Jason’s cloak from above.

_One of the humans is royal_ , the vines were whispering to each other and Nico. _Get the royal one!_

“What..? Which one? What about the others?” Nico asked, watching the men from his hiding spot. He was about to ask another question before the group started running ahead. All of them had terrified expressions as they shouted at each other for one to send help and backup.

Percy frowned and stared at the treetops. He knew now wasn’t a good time for him to be a brave idiot, but being Percy, he pulled his horse to a stop and looked around. This forest wanted _him_ and if it meant his friends might live, he was going to make sure that would happen. “Jason, take the others and get out!”

The vines took the other two knights, leaving Frank, Leo, Jason and Percy to be attacked and stolen. Frank was already freaking out. He didn’t like the way this was going. He could see movement amongst the leaves and treetops. He turned to Jason. “I think we should listen to Percy…”

“ ** _What?!_** ” Jason frowned and looked at the prince. “You can’t be serious! I’m not leaving you here to die! We can leave together, we just need to run back the way we came!”

“Jason, quit being an idiot and listen to me!” Percy growled, gripping the hilt of his sword.

“Guys…,” Leo interrupted, trembling slightly as the rustling and whispering got closer  
and louder. “I think..I-I think they’re coming back…”

As Percy and Jason yelled at each other over one another’s plan, Frank was struck with a vine and was soon pulled into the forestry. He yelled for Percy and Jason, even Leo.

Percy gasped and gave a quick gallop forward on Blackjack, cutting the vine and freeing Frank. “ ** _Jason! Out! Now!_** ”

Frank nodded in agreement and scrambled back onto his horse, glaring at the trees around them and Jason.

The vines hissed and thrashed out against Percy. They were angry. They immediately pulled Percy off Blackjack and slammed him onto the ground. Jason shouted for him as the vines started to drag him into the heart of the forest by his legs and torso. Percy kicked and squirmed, but he was glad the vines were now more interested in him than his friends.

“We have to go!” Leo said, whipping the reigns of his horse. “We don’t have time, Jason!”

“ ** _Percy!_** ” Jason cried out, suddenly panicking and fearing for the worst. He cursed and glanced around as he whipped the reins on the horses. “I _will_ come back for you, Percy!”

The three frowned and rode as fast as they could in any direction possible to get out of the deadly forest as quickly as humanly possible.

Percy was dragged along the forest floor, ripping and cutting at the vines. However, every time he was freed, he was grabbed again, tighter and tighter, until he was bloody, panting desperately for breath, and on the verge of falling unconscious.

Nico was waiting in his flower, a giant rose to be exact, in the heart of the forest. He was helping sprout the aphrodisiac flowers so they could spour. He hoped this wouldn’t last too long...the poor guy. He just killed three men and almost killed another. Probably his friend. The sea-green-eyed man must be terrified.

Above Nico, the flower opened enough for the vines to drop Percy in, and he gasped furiously for breath, since they’d practically been choking him. _We got the royal, we got the royal!_

Nico stared at the royal and shifted him a little. “Is he dying?” he asked, probing at the guy’s clothes before removing them. His eyes widened a little at the sight of the man’s tan, leanly-muscular body. He had a minimum amount of scars, but he was sure to have more since the vines had recently given him new wounds.

_We had to choke him_ , the vines said casually, as if it were nothing. _But he will be fine in a moment._

Nico nodded and leaned back, waiting for the royal to catch his breaths.

Percy gasped a little and coughed as he finally managed to refill his lungs with air. He shuddered and glanced down at the boy whose body was covered in leaves. He glared at the kid before slowly realizing...the boy wasn’t covered in leaves, the leaves were growing off of him! Leaves sprouted from his hair, around his waist, his ankles and wrists. Vines were wrapped ups his limbs and he was covered in dirt.

“Who are you and what do you want from me?” He coughed and tried to sit up, feeling dizzy and somewhat lightheaded.

The vines pulled Percy back and pinned him down. The purple flowers bloomed and let the pollen escape, making the air look like it was full of pixie dust. They waited for the flowers to take effect on the royal’s body, watching intently as they clung to the walls of the flower.

Nico watched as the man’s length began to twitch and stand up. He couldn’t help but lick his lips. This man’s body was gorgeous. This would probably be his favorite session… Though, he did feel slightly guilty about it. If the guy wasn’t the correct seed, then they would dispose of him.

“What..?” Percy muttered and shifted uncomfortably. He frowned. “What’s going on…?”

“This’ll be over soon, I promise,” Nico whispered and crawled into the man’s lap. He straddled him and licked his lips as he glanced over the man once more. He leaned back and took hold of the royal’s erect member and started to guide him inside.

“Ahh..!” Nico jolted, feeling a sudden spark. He shuddered and furrowed his brows a little and stared at the guy’s face as he seated himself fully on his cock.

Percy’s eyes widened in horror and started to furiously struggle. “No!” he shouted and began to kick. He pulled on the vines, crying out as Nico started to move his hips. “Stop--!”

He was cut off when a vine wrapped itself around his neck to silence and keep him still. They tied around his legs and kept him bound to the ground. He shut his eyes tightly and bit the inner wall of his cheek. Percy shuddered and held in a groan when Nico’s wet walls clamped down on him. He jerked up instinctively and mentally cursed himself.

This was some kind of nightmare...but at the same time, it felt really good. He needed to get out of here as soon as possible, but he could barely breathe...everything was blurry, spinning, fading in color but too bright at the same time. And then there was this weird boy… What was happening anymore…?

Nico cried out and arched his back from Percy’s sudden thrust. He licked his lips and bounced in the man’s lap faster. “Oh gods…” He panted and stroked himself to the rhythm of his thrusts, little sparks of pleasure dancing up and down his spine and flowers blooming in a crown across his head. This was probably the best session he’d had yet, so much so that he almost forgot the reason Percy could barely breathe or the reason he was tied down or the reason he was even _here_. “Please...do that again...”

Percy growled weakly then coughed when the vines got tighter on his neck. He gasped and stilled to try and loosen the grips of the vines to no avail. “Please,” he managed to rasp out, his voice hoarse. “I can’t...b-breathe…”

The vines didn’t budge.

Nico shuddered and nodded a little. He gestured his hands for the vines to move. They tightened more before slowly, begrudgingly loosening. He moaned again, louder and more needy. “Now... _please...! Do it again…_ ”

Nico whined and leaned back, panting. His bangs were damp with a minimum amount of sweat that were clinging to his face. He ran his hand through his hair to pull it back. His movements never slowed, instead, they got rougher and more frantic.

Percy panted and tilted his head back, taking deep breaths to calm himself. Half of him wanted to comply with the kid’s desire and screw him until he was even more of a whiny, needy mess, but the other half--the losing half--was trying to think of a way to get out of here and _live_ to see his family and friends again. He groaned and twitched inside Nico, closing his eyes and shuddering. He wouldn’t last long, not with the pace this kid was going, and he was grateful that this would be over in a little bit, because maybe when it was over, he would be let go… Yeah, right. They were probably going to kill him.

“Fuck…” He muttered and jerked up, giving in to what the kid and the vines wanted.

Nico cried out when the jerk of his hips caused him to strike his prostate. He panted and bounced faster on him. “ _Please...please! I’m gonna cum…!_ ” He shuddered and looked down at Percy, a little upset that his eyes were closed and he was biting his lip, but he also wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t like Percy _wanted_ to be here.

Percy opened his eyes just a little, only enough to see if Nico was done yet. Nope. He was still going for it. Moaning a little, and not by his own choice, the sea-green-eyed boy yanked and pulled on the vines again, though this only caused them to tighten. “Let me go… I-I want...to touch...h-him…” As if to punctuate and affirm his statement, Percy thrust hard up into Nico, causing him to strike the human rose’s prostate again. The way Nico tightened down on him right after with his warm, soaked, unbelievably tight walls made spots dance in front of his eyes for a few minutes, like when he’d been unable to breathe. “Oh, fuck…”

Nico cried out again, arching his back until he practically looked like a “C” in Percy’s lap. He squirmed, bucking desperately against Percy as he came, the vines still clinging to the walls of the flower sprouting little blue and pink buds with his joy. There were a few white ones, but it was an extremely small amount. Still up in the wonderful throes of his orgasm, he continued to ride Percy, pleading him with his eyes and adorably flushed and thoroughly fucked expression to cum in him...which Percy did. But not happily.

Percy panted, staring at the top of the closed flower. He glanced down below them, at the glowing floor of the flower that filled it with a golden light, and then at the blossoming vines around them. “W-What--”

Nico shook his head at percy and shuddered. He needed to stay on Percy until he was sure that he was fertilized. Then he would see about what would happen in the morning. He leaned down and rested most of his body on Percy’s. He put his face in Percy’s neck and gave it a small kiss, making a little flower mark on his neck to symbolize him as his. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he felt a strong connection with this man already...even if it was just the sex.

Percy frowned. He wanted to struggle again and snap at Nico to get off of him and let him go, but he didn’t say anything. He was too tired to fight with the...boy...flower...thing… So he just sighed and turned his head away from Nico before falling asleep.

\--Later…

Jason had just barely made it out of the forest alive with his friends. He was still regretting the decision of leaving Percy behind, but there wasn’t much he could do. Right now, he needed to rest and heal his body so he could return to save Percy from the wrath of the evil forest.

“Jason, look…,” Leo mumbled tiredly from his place atop his horse. His shoulder was bleeding and his neck was bruised, but he--like the others--was struggling to stay awake. They’d been out of the forest for a few hours and it was almost nightfall now. In the dim sunlight, he could just barely make out the outline of a town in the small valley below. “A town…”

Eyes widening, Jason whipped Tempest’s reigns and galloped ahead of them to the edge of the hill. It was true! There it was, a quaint, nice little town that more than likely had an inn, a hot springs, a bakery, and a doctor.

“Guys! It’s just a little farther! C’mon, we can do this!” Jason galloped back to them and urged them forward.

Frank was the first to make it into town before collapsing off his horse and onto the ground. Leo managed to laugh a little at him before everything became blurry and he fell on top of Frank, with Jason sighing as he climbed down to throw Leo onto his shoulder and help Frank up.

Hazel, a villager who was carrying a basket of greens to her father, noticed the two collapsing and gasped. She dropped her basket and called for help before running over to see if they were okay. She came over quickly with worry printed all over her face. “Are you alright? The village doctor is on his way. He’ll help for sure. The rest of us can help you to my house!” She urged and took Frank’s other side to help support the guy.

Jason nodded slowly, frowning. “Yeah….okay..” He muttered and followed after the golden-eyed girl. He watched her open the door to her house, glancing at Leo on his shoulder and at an unconscious Frank beside him. She called for her father, Pluto, was it? He wasn’t completely paying attention. He just wanted to pass out as soon as possible.

“Dad, they need help. please!” Hazel called and dragged her father out of his study.

The man was white--about as white as snow, if that was even possible--and his hair was black, slicked back, and down to his shoulders. He had bags under his dark, soulless eyes, and a little bit of chin stubble. He looked familiar...older, but familiar. Like a painting in one of the castle halls. Who was it..? Why did he feel as though he should know this man…?

The man seemed to recognize Jason, though, a lot more than Jason could recognize him. He looked shocked for a minute before his expression turned dark and he groaned. “Oh, by the gods…”

It took Jason some time to realize who the man was. His eyes widened in shock and delight. He stepped forward, breath in his throat and heart beating faster. “ _...Uncle Hades…?_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *dying quietly in the corner* The guilt is consuming me...please don't kill me. Why did I do this..!? Some of you guys wanted a quick chapter. I was already working on it yesterday, but didn't post it etc. *MORE UNHOLY SOBS* Anyway...please no hate....I so sad. LUV YA!


	4. A Possible Relationship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got so lazy with this chapter my partner started nagging me to write it. I wrote part of this chapter so...part. Anyway!

The entire house was as silent as death for a moment as Hades and Jason stared each other down, Hades with an uncomfortable, unhappy look, and Jason with a wide-eyed, shocked yet excited look.

Finally, Hazel broke the tension with a question.

“Dad, what does he mean…? Who’s ‘Uncle Hades’..?” She frowned and glanced up at him, hands twisting the apron on the skirt of her dress nervously. “Do you--”

“I’m not going back,” Hades hissed, frowning at Jason and sending him a death glare. “I don’t care if they send a whole company to get me--I won’t go back to my brothers.”

“We’re not here for that,” Jason said. He normally would’ve sounded more defensive, but he was still in shock, so it came out a little breathy and quiet. “My friends, they’re hurt--the forest--”

Hades’ eyes widened and he grabbed Jason by his cloak and shirt collar, shoving him against the wall. “What about the forest? Did you go in there?! Tell me you didn’t go in there, you stupid, stupid boy!”

Jason was shocked for a second before grabbing Hades’ wrists and trying to push him away as gently as he could. “Yeah, we did, and the forest took Percy! What do you know about it? What’s in there?” He sounded angry, but he had a desperate look in his eyes as he stared his uncle down, pleading. “Please, Uncle Hades, tell me what’s inthere...I can’t let Percy die…”

Hazel sighed and began to take care of Frank and Leo in the background, since she obviously wasn’t going to get a chance to talk with her father anytime soon about what was happening. “Take him to your study, Dad. I’ll keep an eye on these two…”

Hades glanced over at Hazel before sighing begrudgingly and taking Jason to his study. He sat in his chair for a moment and stared at his folded hands silently before lifting his dark eyes to Jason and speaking.

“The forest is inhabited by a spirit named Nico. Nico is my son...and that makes him your cousin.”

Meanwhile….

Percy came to slowly, and as he did, he coughed harshly, turning over on his side and realizing he was wrapped in furs. Fumbling with the soft pelts in confusion, he continued to hack and gasp. His throat felt raw and hot, even a little swollen on the inside, and the rest of his body was sore as well. Struggling to sit up, it all came rushing back to him when he realized he was inside a giant flower. His men dying, his friends escaping, the vines, that boy--

Oh, by the gods.

That boy. Where in the world was that boy?! He wasn’t in the flower with Percy, but he still felt like he was being watched. Glancing around, Percy noticed tiny pink flowers and tiny blue flowers had sprouted on some vines that clung to the inner walls of the flower. There were a few white ones, but mostly blue and pink.

“Hello?” Percy tried to call out, but his voice was hoarse and strained, and it only made his throat throb. Rubbing it and groaning internally, he curled up and waited for something to happen.

A moment later, the top of the flower opened and Nico climbed in, holding a bowl of water and a woven basket made from twigs that was full of nuts and fruits from the forest.

“You’re awake! That’s good!” He set the bowl of water and food down in front of Percy and waited for him to eat. Nico’s skin was damp and shiny, free of dirt and pale as the moon. His leaves and flowers were dotted with water droplets, and Percy guessed he probably just finished watering himself.

“.....” Percy’s throat burned but he didn’t want to touch the water or food. For all he knew, this odd flower-boy or his pesky vines could’ve poisoned it.

“What’s wrong?” Nico blinked and glanced at the food he’d given Percy. Was he allergic to something here…? Then again, he probably didn’t trust Nico at all, given what happened earlier… “I didn’t do anything to it, Your Highness…”

“Percy,” the older boy managed to wheeze out, rubbing his bruised and slightly swollen throat. “My name...is Percy…” He glared at Nico and snatched up the bowl of water, drinking it down gratefully and feeling a little soothe in his throat.

Nico frowned a little. He watched the man’s hostile state and shifted uneasy. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but he wanted to talk to the guy...get to know him...maybe...maybe love him. “My name’s Nico… You can call me Neeks if you want?” There was a small, tentative, but purposeful question to his words, given Percy’s distant and injured state.

The boy tried a small smile and tilted his head slightly, letting his hair fall over his face a bit. “Do you need more water?”

Percy nodded and finished the last gulp before handing it to Nico. “Your vines...tried to kill me…” He glared at the interior of the flower, his fingers still on his throat.

“I’m sorry about that...They’re protective, I guess...” Nico sighed and picked up the bowl, climbing out of the flower. He returned a moment later and the flower closed again as he handed Percy the water. “Your throat should be fine after all this water and some rest…”

 _We don’t have time to rest!_ , the vines hissed, moving a little on the flower’s walls. _We must act quickly to get you a child!_

Nico frowned and ignored the vines. He wanted a child, yes, but he didn’t want to put Percy through all that again after it only happened last night, and he was still covered in bruises and cuts.

For the next few hours, Percy fell into a cycle of silence, drinking water, and napping. By mid-afternoon, his throat’s swelling had gone down a considerable bunch and his voice had lost a great deal of its hoarseness and wheezing. Finally, when he could form a full sentence without stopping for breath or because of pain, Percy asked if there was somewhere he could bathe himself.

“There’s a river down the trail,” Nico said, getting up with a smile. “But I don’t know if the vines will let you leave…” He glanced warily up at the magical vegetation, shifting uneasily.

The vines rustled slightly, discussing it amongst themselves before they grabbed Percy by his ankles as quickly as possible and dragged him out the flower, with Nico following as closely and quickly behind as he could.

Percy gasped and glared at the vines as they paused over a river. It wasn’t a necessarily fast river, nor did it look too deep, but he didn’t want to be dropped into a damn river! Who did?! “Put me down!” He blinked a second later, regretting his words immediately. “ _WAIT--_ ”

The vines released him, rustling hard, like they were laughing.

Percy took a deep, quick intake of breath before he splashed down into the icy, dark, murky river water. He fell about three feet deep from the speed and height that the vines had dropped him at, but he--thankfully--wasn’t very disoriented after the shock of his landing, and he managed to swim to the surface and grab onto a huge rock that was nearby. Taking in another gasp of air, he rubbed his sore neck, which had started to throb slightly in dull pain. “Stupid vines…”

Nico waded into the water until it went up to his waist and he frowned. “Are you alright?” he called, unable to go any further. He wasn’t the strongest swimmer, since flowers couldn’t have too much water.

“No, I’m not!” Percy frowned and threw a river rock at the vines. It missed them and fell back into the water with a small splash as the vines continued to laugh.

Meanwhile…

Jason stared out at the forest, still trying to process what his uncle had told him, and the fact that his uncle was alive. He bit his lip and sighed, running his fingers through his hair. _Uncle Hades is alive, then he tells me the thing that killed the men and took Percy is related to me…_ He wondered if anyone else but Hades knew about the forest and its little guardian, and he wondered why Hades had never gone back home if he’d managed to escape the former guardian after impregnating her.

“You should be resting, boy.”

Jason jumped and glanced over his shoulder as his uncle stood in the doorway, making sure to stay away from a shaft of sunlight that fell into the room. It made him look even more terrifying and serious than he usually did, avoiding the light like a demon. “Sorry, Uncle Hades… I just wanted to talk to you about the forest…”

Hades frowned deeply, like he’d just tasted something rotten or sour, and came over, walking around the sunlight and sitting in front of Jason. “The light is unpleasant and hurts my eyes,” he said nonchalantly, shrugging. “Hazel believes I’m overreacting, but I spend so much time in the study that I think I’ve become a mole…”

Jason nodded absentmindedly, watching the older man. “So, the forest…?”

“Ah, yes… Well, I might as well tell you the whole story then.” Hades sighed and leaned back, hands folded, as his expression changed to one of reminiscing, thoughtfulness, and...unbelievable sadness and grief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still like it? Tell me what you think :)


	5. The Birth of the Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait. As my friend said in the comments, her internet was down for awhile, and then we had some other important things pop up, but we're back! Anyway, on with the chapter. --Apalla

“It was fourteen years ago,” Hades said after a moment, staring Jason down. “When you and Perseus were only three…”

Fourteen years ago…

Hades was waiting on his throne, listening to the complaints of the man who had been sent to him by the townsfolk. He was propping his head on the arm of the chair with his chin rested in his palm. Most of the complaints so far were all about the forest that was neighboring the town. The commoners were telling him that there were vines twisting from the darkness of the looming trees, flowers attacking the men who came by, leaving the women free to be widows and to find new husbands, and children who only had fathers to be orphans and without enough food.

Hades raised his hand and sighed as the clock struck noon and the belltower in the courtyard chimed loudly. “I understand. The royal knights will check on it immediately. In the mean time, make sure none of the townsfolk go outside the perimeter. They are not to leave the village or go anywhere near the edges of the forest, and tell them not to touch unfamiliar flowers and vines.” He got up, rubbing his forehead as he dismissed the man and swept from the room.

Poseidon came over, frowning. He followed him out of the Great Hall and into the side halls. “Brother, you’ve been getting complaints about this for weeks. You’ve already sent the best men we have. You don’t plan on going there yourself, do you?”

Hades glanced at his brother. He was still young, only by a year, but he wasn’t ready for the throne just yet. The man was still exploring his luxuries and free will away from responsibilities, along with their youngest brother, Zeus. Both had children already, though, in comparison to Hades, who had been king for about three years now and still had no queen or heir (that was his own child, that is; at the moment, Poseidon was his heir). Poseidon had a son named Perseus that Hades remembered meeting when he’d returned from a neighboring kingdom on business, and the little boy had been playing with the water in a fountain and splashed him while his father laughed. Zeus, however, had two children: a little girl named Thalia who was already almost ten, and a boy of Percy’s age named Jason, who was often found getting into trouble with his cousin.

“Poseidon…” The older brother sighed. “This is my kingdom, and these are my people. Our people. We have to protect them.”

The younger frowned. “But--”

“If I don’t go and find out what’s killing our people, then who will? Surely not Zeus, he’d sooner burn the whole forest to cinders than find the core issue, or even you. You both have families to look after. If you leave, who will watch after your wife and child?” He sighed, frowning and placing his hands on his brother’s shoulders.  “You will be in charge in my absence. If I am gone longer than a week, then prepare your coronation.” He turned to go before pausing and turning back to Poseidon, frowning and face grave. “Zeus mustn’t have the throne. The gods may only know what that man will do with all that power in his hands.”

He started down the hall before Poseidon could reply.

Down the hall, by his study door, were two small boys trying to pick the lock with a pin they had taken from Sally’s boudoir. They obviously had no idea what they were doing, though. Hades sighed and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he came up behind them.

“Jason, you’re doing it wrong!”

“Nuh-uh! You are!”

“Gimme it!”

“No!”  

“What do you think you two are doing?” He raised an eyebrow at the two and rested his hand on the outer shoulders of both the boys.

Jason jolted, accidentally snapping the pick, getting it stuck on the keyhole. “...uh-oh…”

Percy glanced up nervously and laughed a little, looking away. “Hi, Uncle Hades…”

“Perseus, Jason. I think we need to have a little talk with your daddies.” He frowned and leaned away from them.

“No!” both of them cried, clinging to Hades’ legs. “No!”

Hades rolled his eyes and ignored them as he picked both of the boys up, walking towards Zeus’s room first to drop the tiny blonde off. Then he headed towards Poseidon’s room to drop of the other annoying tiny child.

Sally poked her head out of the bedroom and frowned. “Is something wrong?” She put her hands on her hips and glanced at the little sheepish Percy, rocking back and forth on his heels and not looking at her. “Perseus Jackson, what did you do?”

“I believe this belonged to you.” He held out the broken pin with a frown. “The other half is lodged in my study door’s keyhole.”

“Wha-- Percy! Why were you trying to get into your uncle’s study?!” Sally crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she waited for a response from the little boy, who turned red and looked like he was about to stutter through a response.

“Um… I-I-- Me and Jason just wanted to see it…” He pouted and looked down, kicking his feet. “‘M sorry, Uncle Hades…”

“Hmph…” Hades nodded at Sally and went to his own room for some peace and quiet (hopefully). The King of Olympus was asleep before his head even touched the black silk pillows.

Later…

Hades awoke in a...flower. Wait-- A flower? Was this some kind of dream?! He sat up slowly, blinking and looking around. Everything was in a haze, and his head throbbed slightly, but other than that, he seemed to be fine.

“Hello?” He prodded at the insides of the flower, touching its walls made of petals and the vines that lined said walls. When he touched the vines, though, they twitched and began to rise, causing him to lean back and stare at them with wide eyes. “What in the name of the gods?!”

The vines paused and clung to the walls of the flower again as the top of it unfurled and opened enough for a woman to fall into it. The flower closed again once she was in and the vines didn’t move again.

The woman had long, thick, curly black hair and a slender, pale body that was nicely curved and proportioned. Her eyes were wide and dark, framed by long and thick lashes, and she was completely naked, save for a belt of flower petals that seemed to be growing from her hips. In fact, they were growing from her hips! She also had leaves growing from her ankles, wrists… She looked like a human flower.

Hades blushed and cleared his throat, trying to look away politely. “Um… Hello.” However, in looking away, Hades noticed something about himself as well: he was also naked. “Why--”

“Don’t worry,” the woman said in a gentle voice as she handed him a ripe nectarine and a basket woven from leaves that was filled with water. “You’ve already done your job for now.”

“My job…? Could you please tell me who you are, why we’re both naked, and where I am?” Hades frowned and glanced suspiciously at the food.  

“I am Maria. I am this forest’s protector and mother.” She smiled at him kindly. “And you are in my home.” She gestured to the flower around them.

“Hom--You’re the Rose of the Forest who's been killing all the men?” He almost stood up before pausing when the vines seemed to become hostile. He sighed. “Okay...you’re the Human Rose and…” He rubbed his face. “How I got here….did you sneak into the city and kidnap me?”

“Well…” Maria shrugged. “Technically speaking, I didn’t. The vines fetched you for me while you were sleeping in the palace.” She smiled as if it were nothing and bit into a nectarine of her own.

Hades’ frown deepened. “None the less, you still kidnapped me. What do you want from my kingdom anyway? I had planned to come out…” He glanced up to check the time mentally, noting the the sun was brighter through the petals than the dimmer orange sunlight that he’d fallen asleep to. “...today to see what you were after. We can’t have you killing all our men.”

Maria pouted. “The only thing I need right now is a child. And I think I may have one soon!” She perked up and kept eating the fruit, confusing Hades to a deeper level, but also making him blush--which he rarely ever did.

“Wait...you--” He cleared his throat so he didn’t sound too concerned or embarrassed. “We...while I was unconscious?!” His face became a deeper red, almost the shade of an apple or a rose, and he stared at her incredulously. “How-- That is very--”

Maria blinked. “What? If you had been awake, the vines most likely would’ve been choking you and tormenting you the entire time! It’s better if you’re asleep for it!” She huffed and crossed her arms.

“That doesn’t make it any better.” He frowned. “Have you been doing this to all the men you’ve taken hostage? Raping then killing them?”

Maria’s eyes became even darker, if that were possible, and she glared at him. The vines unstuck from the walls and rustled threateningly and the petals that grew from her waist darkened from a pink color to a reddish-purple. “It’s not my fault your kingdom can’t produce virile men, Your Majesty.” She spat out the last two words venomously and smirked.

Hades growled and stood up. “I did not say it was your fault, but selfishly killing my men is your fault. You have made many women, now widows , nearly grab a torch to burn your forest down. You should think about what you do with your leftovers, Maria.” He snapped back, glaring daggers at the woman in front of him. “And if you’re even considering killing me, I’d rethink that decision, because then an army might burn your forest to the ground.”

Maria was quiet for the longest time before she blinked, looked at the fruit in her hand, and threw it at Hades. When it missed, she frowned and stood up, opening the flower and climbing out. “I’m going for a walk!” she snapped, closing the flower behind her. “Do not kill him!”

Hades snorted and looked around the flower for his clothes. He found fruits, nuts, fish--ew…Poseidon would like that--and finally his torn clothes. He frowned when he picked them up. What exactly did they do to remove his clothes? They didn’t even look like clothes, just ripped pieces of black clothing.

“Damn plants…,” he muttered to himself and dropped the cloth. He glanced around and pushed open a petal. The vines moved in front of him and he swore he heard them hiss. Could plants make noises? “Let me through,” he demanded, crossing his arms.

The plants didn’t budge. In fact, the flower seemed to grow more petals.

Groaning, Hades collapsed on the floor and waited.

About a week later…

 

Hades stared at what little of the blue sky he could see from the slightly open top of the flower. Maria was asleep beside him, having recently confirmed that she was with child. As he stared at the sky, it occurred to him that Poseidon was probably being crowned king right about now, and he severely hoped his brother didn’t send a search party into the woods after him, or come in himself. Even if the vines had grown begrudgingly used to Hades’ presence, they would surely execute his brother before he could utter a word to Maria to stop them. And he couldn’t go back… He wasn’t quite sure why--maybe he just didn’t want to take this opportunity from Poseidon, maybe he just knew he wasn’t right to be king anymore--but he was sure he couldn’t go back to the castle and be with his family again. There was a village just outside the forest… No one there would know his face…

He sighed and sat up, looking over Maria and her enlarging stomach. He was surprised at how fast the child was already growing, and he’d be lying if he’d said that he had no feelings for her or the child. Though, before the kidnapping, he’d never really thought about starting a family back at the palace. Maybe it was all the responsibility on the child that made him not really want one...responsibility...he was free of that now, but then grew concerned about his brother soon taking over. What if Poseidon couldn’t handle the pressure or the problems? And what about Percy? Oh the gods, Percy taking over. Well--Hades didn’t much care for Percy’s problems, but hopefully the little boy would mature enough to be king one day. He felt a headache grow and he sighed. He would never admit this aloud, but he supposed that he might--might--actually miss his family...just a little.

“Mmm…” Maria stirred next to him and cuddled up to him, nuzzling his arm. “Hades...we need to talk about something…”

Hades glanced down at the woman he was beginning to love. “ Yes, amore mio?” He pulled her a little closer to him.

Maria sighed and put a hand on her belly. Her lovely dark eyes filled with a bottomless sadness. “It is normal for the mother of the next Human Rose to not live more than a month, maybe two, after the birth of the baby… After she dies, the vines and the forest nymphs raise it.”

Hades’ eyes widened in alarm. “WHAT?! You’re going to die? Why? Since when?” He sat up and stared at her, worried and hurt mixed in one. “You’re going to leave your child--our child in this forest alone? I can’t raise it, I know nothing of these plants…”

Maria sighed, as if she were already weak from labor--more than likely, she was still very tired, or even half asleep. The baby seemed to make her sleepy, and have vivid dreams. “There have been one or two cases where the mother survives at least a few years, but it’s very rare. But you can’t stay in the forest, Hades. When I die, the vines will kill you, because I’ll be unable to protect you and the baby will be a baby… Well...they might kill you. I’m still unsure. The child will be safe with the vines and the nymphs, I promise.”

Hades clenched his fist. “You’re going to leave us...?” He sighed. “How long ‘til the child is born? I need to know so we can...spend good times together before you pass on.”

“Mmm…” Maria yawned and tried to stay awake, blinking lazily like a cat. “Perhaps a few weeks, maybe a month.” She pulled him down and kissed him. “It’s a boy, you know.” She smiled and pointed at all the little flowers around them that had bloomed. A majority of them were blue.

He gave a small chuckle. “Then what will his name be? His last name will be di Angelo.”

“Hmm…” Maria sat up and stretched. “I think we should name him Nico.”

“Nico di Angelo?” He smiled and leaned over to peck her cheek. “That’s a wonderful name.” He sighed and got up, stretching. “I’m gonna go to the river, I need a bath.”

A few months later…

Nico cried a lot. Hades never slept whenever he did, so he hardly slept at all. Maria was gone, for about a week now, and Nico had not stopped crying since. Hades considered taking him out of the forest, but he knew that was a bad idea. Not only would the vines try to kill him, but it was likely Nico wouldn’t survive such a journey as such a young age. Hades was even surprised he was still alive, since he had insisted upon staying in the forest for awhile with his newborn son, but he knew it was only a matter of time before the vines chased him out and took Nico to the nymphs.

“Oh, for the love of the gods…” Hades rubbed his poor head and looked down at the pale boy swaddled in furs and flowers as he began to sob for the fifth time that night. “I know, you miss her…” He heard a rustling that meant the vines were laughing at him and he growled at them.

Nico looked up at his father with eyes that reflected his own, only red from crying and stained with tears. His bottom lip stretched out in a pout as it threatened to quiver. “Papa…” He whined and thrashed around, reaching out to grab something, a vine.

One of the vines zoomed passed Hades and reached for Nico, but Hades batted it away and picked up his son. He shushed him and bounced him, trying to get him to sleep again. “Shh, shh… It’s alright, everything’s going to be okay…”

Nico cried, screaming really. He continued to reach for the vine, waving his tiny arms around. He didn’t want sleep, he wanted his mother, he wanted food and her warmth, the comfort from another Human Rose. Hades, however, could not give that, and Nico could sense it. He wasn’t really old enough to know that Hades was his father and his blood; only that Hades wasn’t like him, and that felt wrong.

Hades felt his heart sink, and he felt like he had failed Maria. He glanced at the rustling vines, who were still laughing, but now seemed to be twitching impatiently, waiting for him to give in and hand Nico over. He didn’t have to be a Human Rose to know that they were clearly saying they could take better care of Nico than he ever could. And, sadly, he knew it was true, and he was beginning to consider giving them his child.

Nico screamed and cried, now kicking his feet. He was throwing a fit before he yawned, tired from his tantrum. It didn’t stop his kicking or waving of arms, but it did make it a little easier to hold the boy, to rock him back to sleep.

Hades waited until Nico was cooing in his sleep and sucking his thumb to sigh in defeat and give him to the vines. “I am not abandoning him here with you. I’ll be visiting him.”

Whatever, the vines replied as they made a nest for Nico to be cradled in, similar to a large bird nest. You’ve overstayed your welcome for now, though. And just like that, they began to shoo him out, swatting at him and whipping at his feet until he had left the forest altogether and gone to the village.

 

A few years later…

Nico was running around, laughing as he played with the vines. He was waiting for his father to visit. He had collected the best fruit he could find and the most beautiful flowers around, hoping his dad would like them--which he usually did. He glanced around by the river, wondering which direction his dad would be coming in. It had been a week since Hades visited and he was extremely excited for this visit. Apparently, Hades was gonna bring ‘soup’ over, whatever that was.

The vines were not happy. They still didn’t trust Hades, after all these years, and they didn’t like Hades filling Nico’s head with stories about his uncles and cousins, stories about the human world. If Nico became too curious, he might try to go visit the palace or the capital city, and Nico’s departure would spell trouble for the forest and its inhabitants. However, they knew they couldn’t banish Hades, or Nico would become unhappy, and that could be just as bad.

Hades came in, carrying a small bag and a pot. He called for Nico, walking to the giant flower that was now his son’s.

“Nico!” He called and started setting things up.

The boy whipped his head around and immediately ran over. “Dad--what’s that?” He pointed to the shiny object. He reached out to touch it, but his hand was caught but Hades’.

“It’s hot, it will burn you if you touch it.” He sighed at his son. Nico was naturally curious; so many times he had to tell the  boy to calm down and not touch things.  
Nico pouted and sat down. “What is it?”

“It’s a soup pot,” Hades said as he sat down with him. “It’s filled with vegetable soup.” He figured he should make soup out of something Nico was familiar with and would eat.

“Really?” His eyes sparkled with excitement. “How do you open it?” He reached for the pot again.

Hades batted his hand away. “Nico, I said don’t touch it. You’ll hurt yourself.” He grabbed a piece of cloth and lifted the lid off. The smell of spiced tomato broth with carrots, peas, corn, and potatoes wafted into the air in clouds of steam, and the vines shook a little from the heat of it. “Does it smell good?”

Nico nodded and bounced where he crouched. “Can I touch it now?” He smiled and reached for it again. He glanced at the silverware and stared at it. He reached for those instead. “What’s this?” He held up a fork and spoon.

“Those are the things you eat with. You hold it and it collects the food so your hands don’t get dirty when you eat.” He grabbed a bowl and poured some soup in it. “Here, take that one.” He pointed to the spoon.  
Nico nodded and set the fork down. He took the bowl and smiled. “It looks funny.”

Hades gave a gentle laugh and patted his son’s back. He showed Nico how to eat with his own bowl of soup and spoon. Through the rest of the day, Nico asked Hades many questions about the human world, and Hades answered them the best he would that would make sense to the boy. Although he felt every day that he wasn’t welcome there, he wouldn’t allow Nico to be raised by those cold and cynical plants. At nighttime, when Nico had finally worn himself out, Hades tucked him into the furs in the flower and grabbed a lantern to make his way out of the forest.

Present…

Jason frowned. “Wait, so… You still go out there and talk to Nico, even though you clearly had a baby with another woman, and knowing that he’s killing people?”

“Nico himself isn’t killing anyone. It’s the vines,” Hades snapped, He folded his arms and pushed back his already slick hair. “Now, I suggest you get some rest. You’re injured too, you know, and I’m not sending you back to Zeus all covered in lumps and bruises.”

“Wait, I have another question--”

“I’m not going back, Jason.” Hades left the room without another word, leaving Jason to sulk and stare out at the forest.


End file.
